Inujima Island

Inujima, located in the Seto Inland Sea, is the largest of the Inujima Islands and the only inhabited remote island under Okayama City’s jurisdiction. Administratively, it belongs to Inujima, Higashi Ward, Okayama City, and is often referred to as “Inujima Main Island.” The island lies only about 2.2 kilometers from Hōden on Honshu, and can be reached by a regular ferry in around 8 minutes, making access remarkably convenient despite its remote island status. Today, fewer than fifty residents live on the island, enjoying a slow-paced and simple lifestyle that retains a strong island atmosphere.

Since ancient times, Inujima prospered from copper refining and granite quarrying, and many industrial remains can still be seen today. Years of quarrying drastically altered the island’s original landscape, creating steep cliffs, artificial ponds, and caves, with much of its natural form irreversibly changed. These landscapes have since become unique tourism resources. The opening of the Inujima Seirensho Art Museum in 2008, and participation in the Setouchi Triennale from 2010, have transformed Inujima into an “art island” that blends industrial heritage with contemporary art, attracting numerous domestic and international visitors.

The island’s natural environment is characterized by the typical climate of the Seto Inland Sea: warm and with little rainfall throughout the year, mild winters compared to inland areas, and relatively cool summers. Its vegetation consists mainly of secondary broadleaf forests, such as oak and sago palm, along with red pine, reeds, and other plants. The coastline supports tidal flats, seaweed beds, and diverse marine life. This unique microclimate and ecology have allowed some rare species to thrive, adding both research and tourism value to the island.

The name “Inujima” originates from a large rock on the island’s summit shaped like a crouching dog, known as “Inu-ishi” (Dog Rock), with its head facing northwest (the “ken” direction in traditional geomancy). It is regarded as a symbol and protective stone of the island. Legend holds that in 901, during his exile, Sugawara no Michizane encountered a storm, heard the bark of a dog he thought he had once owned, and landed on the island, where he discovered the rock and named the island accordingly. Local folklore also claims that carrying powdered fragments of the rock could prevent rabid dog attacks or repel dog spirits. Today, the Inu-ishi is enshrined at the Inu-ishi Shrine on nearby Inujima-no-shima in the Inujima archipelago, continuing to serve as an important cultural and spiritual symbol.